Ephesians Chapter VI Part 4

Translation: The Orthodox New Testament, Vol. 2, Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista CO., 1999)

15 and having shod your feet in readiness of the Gospel of peace;

1. Good works are the fruit of discipleship and are signs of virtue.

“… we should be made ready for the gospel, and should make use of our feet for this, and should prepare and make ready its way before it; or if not this, at least that we ourselves should be prepared for our departure. ‘In readiness,’ then, ‘of the gospel of peace,’ is nothing else than a most virtuous life… (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”

2. Salvation is making peace with God

“… he shows us that we must have this conflict with the evil spirits: for the gospel is ‘the gospel of peace;’ this war which we have against them, puts an end to another war, that, namely, which is between us and God; if we are at war with the devil, we are at peace with God. Fear not therefore, beloved; it is a "gospel," that is, a word of good news; already is the victory won. (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”

16 on the whole, take up the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

1. Faith is a divine gift

“By ‘faith’ in this place, he means, not knowledge but that gift by which miracles are wrought. And with reason does he term this `faith' a ‘shield;’ for as the shield is put before the whole body, as if it were a sort of rampart, just so is this faith; for all things yield to it. (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”

2. Faith destroys temptations and passions of the soul.

" ‘By the darts of the evil one,’ he means, both temptations, and vile desires; and ‘fiery,’ he says, for such is the character of these desires. Yet if faith can command the evil spirits, much more can it also the passions of the soul. (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God -

“He either means the Spirit, or else, ‘the spiritual sword:’ for by this all things are severed, by this all things are cleft asunder, by this we cut off even the serpent's head. (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”

18 by means of every prayer and entreaty, praying in every season in the Spirit, and being vigilant towards this same thing with all perseverance and entreaty for all the saints, 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I might speak boldly as there is need for me to speak.

1. Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1)

“As the word of God has power to do all things, so also has he who has the spiritual gift. ‘For the word of God,’ he said, ‘is living, and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.’ (Heb. iv. 12.) (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”

2. Praying in the Spirit

“… it is possible ‘to pray’ not ‘in the Spirit,’ when one ‘uses vain repetitions’ (Matt. vi. 7); ‘and to be seen by others,’ (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”
3. The Kyrygma (message) of the Spirit – a gift of God’s Spirit
“He did not then study what he used to say, but according to what Christ said, ‘When they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak (Matt. x. 19)’: so truly did he do everything by faith, everything by grace. (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”
“Yet, the genuine gift for speaking, for proclaiming the good news, is not an ‘immanent’ gift of the preacher, but a charism of the Holy Spirit, given in the Church and to the Church. Genuine proclamation of the good news does not exist without faith that the ‘assembly as the Church’ is really an assembly in the Holy Spirit, where the same one Spirit opens the preacher’s lips to proclamation and the hearer’s mind to acceptance of what is proclaimed. (Fr. Schmemann, The Eucharist, p. 77)”

21 But in order that you also may know the things concerning me, what I am practicing, Tychikos, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things, 22 whom I am sending to you for this very thing, that you might know the things concerning us, and that he might comfort your heart. 23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption. Amen.

1. Incorruption is salvation

“Let us take the alarm then, I entreat you, let us dread the words, that we meet not with the realities. Covetousness is corruption, corruption more dangerous than any other, and leading on to idolatry. … A fearful evil is it for us not to strip ourselves of everything in this present world; a great calamity to depart into the next with loads of sins about us. . .Let us reflect then how many burdens of sins each of us has about him, and let us make our acts of mercy counterbalance them; nay rather, far exceed them, that not only the sins may be quenched, but that the acts of righteousness may be also accounted unto us for righteousness. (Chrysostom, Homily XXIV On Ephesians Chapt. 6)”